The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of the formation of the widespread mucous-plugging observed in autopsied lungs from patients with bronchial asthma.We performed morphometric analysis of airways of autopsied lungs from eight patients with bronchial asthma (Group BA), and compared it with those of six chronic bronchitics (Group CB) and four control patients (Control). The following parameters were measured in paraffin sections: volume proportion of bronchial glands to bronchial wall (Gland%); goblet cell granules to total epithelial layer (Goblet%); intraluminal mucus expressed as the mucus occupying ratio (MOR); volume ratio of intraluminal mucus continuous with goblet cells to total intraluminal mucus (Vc/Vtot%); and surface ratio of the contact surface of intraluminal mucus continuous with goblet cells to the total luminal surface (Sc/Stot%).Gland%, Goblet%, and MOR or inflammatory cell numbers in the airway walls both from Group BA and CB were larger than those from the Control group. However, no significant differences were observed between Group BA and CB in Gland%, Goblet%, MOR or inflammatory cell numbers, except for the eosinophil number: i.e. 23±3, 22±3 and 6±2% in Gland%; 22±9, 5±4 and 2±2% in Goblet%; 10±3, 18±3 and 0.3±0.5% in MOR; 199±68, 10±3 and 2±2 cells·mm -2 in eosinophil number of the peripheral airways from Groups BA, CB and Control, respectively. In contrast, marked and significant increases were observed both in Vc/Vtot% and Sc/Stot% in Group BA compared to Groups CB and Control both in central and peripheral airways: i.e. Vc/Vtot% in the peripheral airways was 53±5, 4±3 and 0.8±0.8% from Groups BA, CB and Control, respectively (BA vs CB or BA vs Control, p<0.01 each).These findings suggest that the continuity of goblet cells and intraluminal mucus or lack of full release of mucus, from goblet cells, is peculiar to asthmatic airways, and may contribute to the formation of mucous-plugs.

Sjögren's syndrome is characterized by a decrease in exocrine gland secretion and the destruction of secretory tissue and cells, that is, salivary and lacrimal glands. Although patients with Sjögren's syndrome have chronic cough and sometimes sputum, we have little knowledge concerning the morphology of their airways. We performed morphometric analysis of goblet cells and bronchial glands and compared them with intraluminal mucus volume by measuring the mucus-occupying ratio (MOR) in the airways of patients with Sjögren's syndrome. A total of 6 nonsmoking patients with Sjögren's syndrome who had no significant prolonged airway infections (Group SG) (6 women, 55 +/- 2 yr) were compared with four control patients with no pulmonary diseases (Group NL) (1 woman and 3 men, 64 +/- 2 yr) and five patients with chronic bronchitis (Group CB) (1 woman and 4 men, 52 +/- 5 yr). Autopsied lungs from 15 patients were used for morphometry by a digitalizing computer. Area proportion of bronchial glands (gland %) to bronchial wall, goblet cell-occupying ratio to total epithelial layer (goblet %), and MOR were measured in central (3-8 mm in diameter) and peripheral airways (2 mm or less in diameter). Gland % and goblet % in central and MOR in peripheral airways from Group SG were significantly larger than those from Group NL: 15 +/- 2 versus 6 +/- 1% (p < 0.01), 6 +/- 1 versus 2 +/- 1% (p < 0.05), and 9 +/- 2 versus 0.6 +/- 0.3% (p < 0.05), respectively. Further, these values from Group SG did not significantly differ from those from Group CB.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Impedance cardiography was used to estimate cardiac output in 10 men during rest and within 5 s after exercise on a bicycle ergometer, including work up to and including maximal aerobic capacity. An indwelling venous catheter permitted simultaneous sampling of venous blood for observing changes in hematocrit associated with each exercise level. Cardiac output, calculated from a standard equation which assumes a constant value of 150 omega.cm for the electrical resistivity of blood, was compared with corresponding calculations in which blood resistivity was individually determined as a function of hematocrit. It is concluded that many of the discrepancies in the literature related to values for cardiac output obtained during exercise by the impedance method may be inherent in calculations that do not consider the changing electrical resistivity of the blood with a changing hematocrit.

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Five idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients with sputum since the initial period of the disease (IPF SP+, more than 15 ml/day) were compared with five IPF patients without sputum throughout the course of the disease (IPF SP-) and four control subjects without pulmonary disease matched for age and sex. No significant differences in the duration of symptoms, pulmonary functions, or glucocorticoid therapy were observed between the two IPF groups. Autopsied lungs fixed by immersion into formaldehyde were used for morphometry by digitizing computer. The volume proportion of glands to bronchial wall thickness (gland%), volume proportion of goblet cells to total epithelial layer (goblet%), and luminal mucous volume were measured in central and peripheral airways. The gland percentage in the central airways of the IPF SP+ group was 18 +/- 1% (mean +/- SE), which was significantly greater than 7 +/- 0.6% of the IPF SP- group (p less than 0.001), similar to the 6 +/- 1% of control subjects. Luminal mucous volume in the peripheral airways of the IPF SP+ group was 11 +/- 2%, which was significantly greater than 3 +/- 1% of the IPF SP- group (p less than 0.05) or 0.6 +/- 0.3% of the control subjects (p less than 0.01). Furthermore, luminal mucous volume in both the central and peripheral airways significantly correlated with gland% (p less than 0.01, each). No significant difference in other parameters such as goblet% and cell infiltration between the IPF SP+ group and IPF SP- group was observed. These findings suggest that IPF with hypersecretion is associated with mucous glandular hypertrophy and the accumulation of mucus in the airways.